Toppled Domino Resettable Track and Attachable Domino

ABSTRACT

A toppled domino resettable track is a beautiful luxury to have when those not prone to patience are engaged in setting up domino sequences for toppling. Resettable tracks are also useful for less than capable individuals, e.g. children; when they want to create topple sequences, as the tracks keep the dominos fixed to the track in their configurations. With the push of a button or puff of breath, the entire toppled sequence stands to life, ready for another run.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISC APPENDIX

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A problem exists in the in the field of domino toppling: the painful process of resetting them upright. The current invention solves the problem of a player having to manually reset each individual toppled domino to the pre-toppled state by hand.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Aside from the usual games of matching numerical values, dominos often have a secondary use, and that is to stand them up close to each other, usually in some grandiose configuration, then topple them down. The problem is the ratio of time needed to setup such ostentatious configurations versus the time it takes to run the topple sequence is greatly biased towards the former. The current invention relocates the bias of time to the latter. That is, the resettable track will make setting up the toppling configuration take LESS time than the playback of the topple sequence.

The current invention defines two mutually exclusive modes of the resettable track: air compressed and electromagnetic. The amount of domino “reset” time it takes using the air compressed tracks is dependent on the length of connected track and the amount of air delivered by manual pump. The amount of time needed in the electromagnetic version, by comparison, is instantaneous.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

Figure Description

FIG. 1 2 connected air-piston type track runners T1 with affixed pistons P1, dominos D and domino-track keys K, all assembled

FIG. 2 Exploded view of FIG. 1

FIG. 2A Affix point on base of domino for attachment of key K

FIG. 3 Side view of an air-piston type track runner T1

FIG. 4 Front view of an air-piston type track runner T1

FIG. 5 Top view of an air-piston type track runner T1

FIG. 6 Perspective view of an air-piston type track runner T1

FIG. 7 Side view of piston P1 corresponding to air-piston type runner T1

FIG. 8 Front view of piston P1 corresponding to air-piston type runner T1

FIG. 9 Top view of piston P1 corresponding to air-piston type runner T1

FIG. 10 Perspective view of piston P1 corresponding to air-piston type runner T1

FIG. 11 Perspective view of a curved runner

FIG. 12 2 connected air-piston type runners T2 with affixed pistons P2, dominos D and domino-track keys K, all assembled

FIG. 13 Side view of piston P2 corresponding to air-piston type runner T2

FIG. 14 Front view of piston P2 corresponding to air-piston type runner T2

FIG. 15 Top view of piston P2 corresponding to air-piston type runner T2

FIG. 16 Perspective view of piston P2 corresponding to air-piston type runner T2

FIG. 17 Side view of an air-piston type runner T2

FIG. 18 Front view of an air-piston type runner T2

FIG. 19 Top view of an air-piston type runner T2

FIG. 20 Perspective view of an air-piston type runner T2

FIG. 21 2 connected air-piston type runners T3 with affixed pistons P3, dominos D and domino-track keys K, all assembled

FIG. 22 Front view of piston P3 corresponding to air-piston type runner T3

FIG. 23 Perspective view of piston P3 corresponding to air-piston type runner T3

FIG. 24 Side view of an air-piston type runner T3

FIG. 25 Front view of an air-piston type runner T3

FIG. 26 Back view of an air-piston type runner T3

FIG. 27 Top view of an air-piston type runner T3

FIG. 28 Perspective view of an air-piston type runner T3

FIG. 29 2 connected electromagnetic type runners T3 with affixed dominos D and domino-track keys K, all assembled

FIG. 30 Exploded view of FIG. 29

FIG. 31 Sectional view of FIG. 1 assembly along section line 31 which is defined also in FIG. 1

FIG. 32 Sectional view of FIG. 12 assembly along section line 32 which is defined also in FIG. 12

FIG. 33 Sectional view of FIG. 21 assembly along section line 33 which is defined also in FIG. 21

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings illustrating the invention, beginning with FIG. 1, which shows a minimal assembly configuration of toppling dominos D affixed at an ideal pivot point R to air compressed resettable runner tracks T1 using domino-track keys K. The present invention allows resettable tracks running in various directions, not simply just straight as depicted in the majority of figures. FIG. 11 shows a curved resettable track. Resettable tracks could also slope up or down to create “stair” runs and over/under bridges.

For tracks which are of the air-compressed type, a main capillary, defined by endpoints A1-C1, which runs the length of the track is found therein through which air is compressed through. The current invention allows for varying locations of the main capillary as long as it services the outlets E1 and pistons P1, which in turn service the dominos D, and as long as main capillary inlet A1 is able to connect to connector C1 on another track of the same.

The current figures depict three different types of air compressed tracks, T1, T2, and T3, where the location of the main capillary and outlets varies. In these figures, tracks of T1 only connect to other tracks of T1, T2 only to T2, and T3 only to T3. Furthermore, pistons P1 connect only to outlets E1 found only on tracks T1, pistons P2 only to outlets E2 found only on tracks T2, pistons P3 only to outlets E3 found only on tracks T3.

Connected to the main capillary, at intervals according to the spacing of upright dominos, are air outlets E1.

Pistons P1 are inserted into the outlets E1. When air is not compressed through the capillary, pistons remain “seated” on the outlets, in the down position. That is, the top of the piston is shaped such that when it falls through an outlet due to gravity, it is unable to fall completely through because of collision with the top of the piston and an outlet stopper, found at the top of every outlet E1. In all figures of the present invention, the outlet stopper has a shape

, yet any shape would suffice so long as it allows sufficient air leakage and adequate piston movement within the outlet.

Either of the section views, FIGS. 32 or 33, show seated pistons P2 or P3, respectively, inside outlets, specifically the second to last outlet. Although the overhanging foot of piston P1 is raised and lowered with and being part and of the same P1, the section FIG. 31 does not show a cross section of the piston body (excluding overhanging foot) raising or falling in outlet E1. Rather it shows a cross section of the piston overhanging foot itself coincidentally raising and falling in foot chamber H. FIG. 5 shows a top view of foot chamber H. The capillary cross section figure is omitted from T1 but can be discerned from cross sections FIG. 32 and FIG. 33. P1 is illustrative of a special design making use of an overhanging “foot”, hence the cross section FIG. 31 of the piston overhanging foot in foot chamber H. P2 and P3 have no such special design, and therefore their respective cross sections FIG. 32 and FIG. 33 illustrate more or less conventional pistons in air outlet chambers E2 and E3, respectively.

The body of the piston, not considering the top portion thereof previously described in paragraph 0008, is fashioned such that as air is compressed through the main capillary A1-C1 and therefore subsequent outlets E1, air is allowed to narrowly escape between the piston body and the outlet walls of E1, thereby pushing the piston in the direction of the escaping air. The piston is prevented from completely exiting the outlet due to the same outlet stopper that also prevents it from completely entering the same. Any of the section views, FIGS. 31, 32, and 33, show raised pistons inside outlets due to air compression, specifically the first and second outlets.

It is this leaky piston design which subsequently raises a domino from the fallen toppled position, back into its upright position, via air compression.

The other type of resettable track that the current invention describes is electromagnetic. FIG. 29 shows a minimal assembly configuration of toppling dominos D affixed at an ideal pivot point R to electromagnetic resettable runner tracks T4 using domino-track keys K. FIG. 30 shows an exploded view of the same.

Each track is capable of creating a number of circuits in parallel, the number being equal to the number of dominos the track supports. FIG. 30 shows, using hidden surface removal, track T4 containing 3 circuits in parallel, each to create an electromagnet M at every coincident interval seating of domino D. The circuit becomes closed at points W+and W−, which are wires positive and negative, respectively. A power supply needs to close the circuit in at least one spot in the track configuration, but can exist in multiple spots on any open track ending, throughout the play field. An example of a sequence is battery→track T4→track T4.

In order to topple the domino sequence, the circuit must be opened so no electromagnets exist in the play field. Once the circuit is closed on any track, all metal inserts M on said track and metal inserts on all connected tracks become electro magnets causing a magnetic force to be applied in the immediate vicinity of M, thereby pulling on the metallic base version of domino D, which is also in the vicinity of M, causing it to rise back to its upright position.

It isn't enough to simply place a domino in an upright position on the surface of a resettable track, regardless of the resetting mechanism, air compressed or electromagnetic. This is because the topple and/or reset process can and will likely displace the domino from its ideal location in the sequence. The dominos must be affixed to the track in a way so as to disallow it from leaving the track or deviating far from its initial footprint. The only allowable motion is the topple motion, therefore a hinge is needed at the axis of topple rotation created at the base of the domino and track.

A hinged key K couples a domino to its track. The protrusion of K inserts into the hole at the base of a domino as depicted in FIG. 2A. The present invention allows for any suitable hinge design, not necessarily the ones illustrated in the current figures, so long as it disallows the domino from leaving the track and far digressing from it, and it allows the domino to topple.

Any suitable resettable track will have hinge points R that each domino will attach to. The present invention allows for the domino to directly attach to said hinge points or to indirectly attach to them using a hinge key K. Depicted tracks T1, T2, T3, and T4 all use the indirect method of a hinge key K. The hole in hinge key K attaches to hinge point R. FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of track runners, pistons, dominos and keys, demonstrating their connectivity. 

1. A resettable domino track wherein the reset mechanism is implemented by air compressed piston, and the items being reset are toppled dominos attached to said resettable track at ideally spaced pivot points along the track so as to allow the sequential toppling of attached dominos in the first place.
 2. A resettable domino track wherein the reset mechanism is implemented by electromagnets, and the items being reset are toppled dominos, with metallic base, attached to said resettable track at ideally spaced pivot points along the track so as to allow the sequential toppling of attached dominos in the first place.
 3. A resettable domino track of claim 1 and claim 2 which interconnects with other resettable tracks of claim 1 and claim 2, respectively, wherein said tracks are available in varying lengths, curvatures, and slopes so as to allow infinite resettable play configurations.
 4. A hinge-able domino being attachable to resettable tracks of claim 1 and 2 at ideally spaced pivot hinge points along said resettable tracks, so as to allow toppling of said dominos. 